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By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 03:15 p.m. EDT, Aug 06, 2008
Ashford Thompson is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 14 for the shooting death of a Twinsburg police officer after he resisted waiving his speedy trial rights during a court appearance today.
Thompson, 23, accused of capital murder in last month's shooting death of Twinsburg patrolman Joshua Miktarian, was making his first in-person court appearance before Summit County Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
Thompson was shackled and dressed in a red jail jumpsuit, uniforms which are assigned to inmates considered violent. He was flanked by court-appointed defense attorneys John Alexander and Anthony Koukoutas and a contingent of reporters stationed in the courtroom's jury box.
The defense attorneys say they have yet to decide whether to ask that the case be moved out of Summit County due to the massive publicity that has followed Miktarian's death and Thompson's arrest.
They also took a swipe at Thompson's previous lawyer, Larry Zukerman of Cleveland, who told reporters two days after Miktarian's death that Thompson killed the officer in self-defense, a notion that brought ridicule from the public. They would not comment on Thompson's defense strategy.
''We haven't seen any of the evidence yet, so that's one of the reasons why weren't not going to be like some other attorneys who don't look at evidence and make grandiose, idiotic statements to the press,'' Koukoutas said after the hearing.
''We at least want to make sure we know what we're talking about before we say anything.''
Stormer initially scheduled Thompson's trial for January. However, when Thompson was asked to sign a waiver of his right to have the case tried within 90 days, he conversed with Koukoutas for several minutes before declining to sign the form.
The judge then scheduled five days of jury selection to begin on Oct. 6 with opening statements for attorneys slated for Oct. 14.
Another pretrial was scheduled for next Wednesday. At that time, Thompson could agree to waive his speedy trial rights.
Police say Miktarian, 33, a married father of a new born girl, stopped Thompson's car outside the Twinsburg man's home on suspicion of drunken driving and loud music at about 2 a.m.
Miktarian was shot four times in the head, including three times while he was on the ground.
When he made the self-defense claim on Thompson's behalf, defense lawyer Zukerman refused to explain, offering only a comment about a witness, whom he refused to name.
Thompson was arrested at a relative's home about an hour later, Miktarian's handcuffs still locked on his wrist. Police sources say Thompson's shirt was bloody and he was using Vaseline in an effort to remove the cuff from his right hand.
Miktarian's wife, Holly, sat in the courtroom this afternoon supported by more than a half-dozen police officers. She is an officer with the Oakwood Police Department. Mrs. Miktarian exited with the officers and assistant prosecutors Brian LoPrinzi and Brad Gessner.
During the hearing, Stormer did not impose a gag order on the case, which has garnered immense media coverage since Miktarian was found shot to death next to his cruiser on July 13.
The judge did ask family members of Miktarian and Thompson as well as potential witnesses to refrain from giving media interviews. She also asked reporters to respect her order.
Stormer said she wants to limit pretrial publicity that could force her to move the case to another venue, or cause an appeals court to reverse a verdict years down the road.
''It is my intention that this case will be tried in Summit County,'' Stormer said from her bench. ''It is my intention that this case will be tried in this courtroom and not in the media.''
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
Ashford Thompson is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 14 for the shooting death of a Twinsburg police officer after he resisted waiving his speedy trial rights during a court appearance today.
Thompson, 23, accused of capital murder in last month's shooting death of Twinsburg patrolman Joshua Miktarian, was making his first in-person court appearance before Summit County Common Pleas Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer.
Thompson was shackled and dressed in a red jail jumpsuit, uniforms which are assigned to inmates considered violent. He was flanked by court-appointed defense attorneys John Alexander and Anthony Koukoutas and a contingent of reporters stationed in the courtroom's jury box.
The defense attorneys say they have yet to decide whether to ask that the case be moved out of Summit County due to the massive publicity that has followed Miktarian's death and Thompson's arrest.
They also took a swipe at Thompson's previous lawyer, Larry Zukerman of Cleveland, who told reporters two days after Miktarian's death that Thompson killed the officer in self-defense, a notion that brought ridicule from the public. They would not comment on Thompson's defense strategy.
''We haven't seen any of the evidence yet, so that's one of the reasons why weren't not going to be like some other attorneys who don't look at evidence and make grandiose, idiotic statements to the press,'' Koukoutas said after the hearing.
''We at least want to make sure we know what we're talking about before we say anything.''
Stormer initially scheduled Thompson's trial for January. However, when Thompson was asked to sign a waiver of his right to have the case tried within 90 days, he conversed with Koukoutas for several minutes before declining to sign the form.
The judge then scheduled five days of jury selection to begin on Oct. 6 with opening statements for attorneys slated for Oct. 14.
Another pretrial was scheduled for next Wednesday. At that time, Thompson could agree to waive his speedy trial rights.
Police say Miktarian, 33, a married father of a new born girl, stopped Thompson's car outside the Twinsburg man's home on suspicion of drunken driving and loud music at about 2 a.m.
Miktarian was shot four times in the head, including three times while he was on the ground.
When he made the self-defense claim on Thompson's behalf, defense lawyer Zukerman refused to explain, offering only a comment about a witness, whom he refused to name.
Thompson was arrested at a relative's home about an hour later, Miktarian's handcuffs still locked on his wrist. Police sources say Thompson's shirt was bloody and he was using Vaseline in an effort to remove the cuff from his right hand.
Miktarian's wife, Holly, sat in the courtroom this afternoon supported by more than a half-dozen police officers. She is an officer with the Oakwood Police Department. Mrs. Miktarian exited with the officers and assistant prosecutors Brian LoPrinzi and Brad Gessner.
During the hearing, Stormer did not impose a gag order on the case, which has garnered immense media coverage since Miktarian was found shot to death next to his cruiser on July 13.
The judge did ask family members of Miktarian and Thompson as well as potential witnesses to refrain from giving media interviews. She also asked reporters to respect her order.
Stormer said she wants to limit pretrial publicity that could force her to move the case to another venue, or cause an appeals court to reverse a verdict years down the road.
''It is my intention that this case will be tried in Summit County,'' Stormer said from her bench. ''It is my intention that this case will be tried in this courtroom and not in the media.''
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
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